Chapel of St. Raphael, SJVCS

Last evening, Archbishop Thomas Wenski, the Very Rev. Roberto Garza (Rector/President), faculty and staff, fellow seminarians, and guests celebrated the graduation of 22 men from SJVCS in Miami. The graduation ceremonies represent the culmination of the initial step on the journey to the priesthood for these young…well, mostly young men. Depending on their educational achievements prior to entering seminary, these men have spent anywhere between two and four years attempting to comprehend the vast and exciting world of philosophy. (If you couldn’t tell, I’m being sarcastic.) The reception of their degrees last night, however, signifies that they are now ready to move on to the study of theology.

As most of you know, I studied philosophy at St. John Vianney College Seminary for two years. Though I decided to leave at the end of the last academic year, these graduates–my former classmates–have remained in my prayers as they have continued their journey towards the priesthood. Each of them have their own unique personalities and bring many gifts to the Church. I am looking forward to the day when they are, God willing, ordained priests. They are an excellent group of guys who have a deep desire to serve the Church and our Lord.

To the graduates: I am very thankful for the opportunity to have walked with you on this journey. No matter what the Lord calls us to in life, we will always be connected by a common bond: we once shared in a unique journey of faith that led us to develop a deep and personal relationship with God.

Congrats, fellas! Please know that you all continue to be in my prayers and I ask that you please keep me in yours. We continue to be brothers in Christ.

Side note: If you’re interested in finding out more on the Chapel of St. Raphael on the property of the seminary, here is an old newspaper article from Miami: http://library.stu.edu/ulma/va/3005/1966/01-21-1966.pdf [This is a PDF!] . It’s pretty interesting, you should check it out.

Over the last several months of seminary formation, the mural in the seminary’s chapel has been speaking to me more and more each day. As many of you have read in my blog posts over the last couple of years, the discernment of the priesthood of Jesus Christ is not easy.

The Church asks a lot of someone who is in the discernment process of becoming a priest. We are asked to take a look at the deepest recesses of our hearts and examine who we are at our inner most cores. That journey can be very painful at times because all of us begin to open wounds and hurts that we have experienced throughout our lives. When we recall those events, we are asked to bring them to spiritual direction to find healing. Over the past couple of years, as I have taken this inward journey, I have begun to discover who I am and what the Lord is asking me to do with my life.

Since returning to the seminary in late-August, I continued to take this inward journey to try to discover where the Lord is leading me in my life. As I began the year, something was amiss with me and I was not quite sure what that something entailed. The slightest little thing began to upset me and I had to take a look at why that was happening. I began to wake up every morning dreading the day, not wanting to do anything. However, I simply knew I had to get up and get going. A phrase my Uncle David used to say came to mind: “You gots to do what ya gots to do.” However, because I was experiencing this immense unhappiness, I did make the decision to take it to spiritual direction.

During my direction sessions, as my spiritual director and I began to discuss why I was miserable, I began to really wonder if priesthood was where the Lord was calling me. Shortly after all these things began emerging, my prayer changed into, “Lord, what do you wish me to do with my life?” Over the next few months, I began to see that the Lord was possibly changing my path.

Throughout my times in prayer, the desire for a family began to re-emerge. As many of my closest friends know, the reason I was hesitant to enter the seminary was because I so profoundly desired to have a family of my own. I took this to spiritual direction as well. As the conversation continued to deepen, I also recalled my first passion in life—law enforcement.

My spiritual director initially told me that, at times in our lives as we seek to follow the Lord more closely, our previous desires begin to re-emerge and make us question whether we want to continue in the path on which we are currently embarking. However, this is usually just a trick that the evil spirit plays on us to make us swerve from our true path in life. Nonetheless, he asked me to continue praying about what the Lord was asking me to do.

At that point, I began praying to the Blessed Mother, asking for her assistance in helping me to know her Son more intimately and understand what He was asking me to do with my life. As Christmas Break began, my prayer changed yet again: “Blessed Mother, help me to know your son; allow me to grow in a relationship with him; teach me how to pray; grant me understanding in knowing what God is asking me to do with my life. Blessed Mother, be my star; guide me along the rough waters of life and illuminate my path.”

Throughout the Christmas recess, I spent some time focusing on the things I had experienced throughout the first semester of this academic year. As the dust began to settle more and more, I began to realize that the Lord was calling me to leave the seminary and pursue some other kind of service. Initially, I was unsure as to what that meant.

During the end of the first week on break, I served a funeral for an Orange County Deputy Sheriff who had recently died of cancer. Because the Cathedral of St. James was undergoing renovations, the funeral was moved to St. Charles. Throughout the days before the funeral, I was remembering how I wanted to be a police officer before entering seminary and I began wondering if this was what the Lord was calling me to do. During the funeral, I experienced the brotherhood of the law enforcement community in a very powerful way, which allowed me to really see that maybe this was the path the Lord was calling me to take in my life.

On New Years Eve, I was sitting in front of the Blessed Sacrament at St. Charles and I prayed the prayer that I had been praying for the last several months: “Lord, what do you wish me to do with my life? Am I called to be a priest or am I called to serve your people in some other capacity?” Then it hit me and I knew. I knew the Lord was asking me to leave the seminary, take what I had learned, and go out to serve the people. I was immediately reminded of the scripture passage on the mural in the Chapel of St. Raphael: “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creatures.”

When I got back to seminary a few days later, I took my experiences to my spiritual director who told me to begin listening to the voice of the church to see if the Lord speaks through them as well. Throughout the following weeks, I did exactly that; I listened to the priests’ homilies more intently, I paid particular attention to what my professors were saying, and I began talking to a couple of my brother seminarians. When the seminary community began our January Day of Recollection, I took all of these experiences to the silent retreat and really focused on them. I again asked the Blessed Mother to be my star, illuminating my discernment.

The next meeting with my spiritual director was the best spiritual direction session I had ever encountered. At that point, my spiritual director also began to see that the Lord was calling me to something else. Since January, my spiritual director and I have been discussing what was next in my life and he helped me arrive at a decision, which is to leave the seminary at this time to pursue serving God’s people as a police officer. However, there are many steps that need to be taken before I explore this next part of my journey.

I have set goals for the next couple of years that I must complete before even thinking about entering the police academy. My first and most important goal is obtaining a degree in Public Administration from the University of Central Florida. The next is getting in shape, which I am going to have to work on over the next several months. I also would like to begin working at the Sheriff’s Office so that I can learn the ropes of the organization and begin to better understand the law enforcement community.

As I begin the process of discernment outside the seminary, I know that the Lord is going to be walking with me more than ever. I will take with me the love that I have experienced from the Lord through the many people who have been instrumental in my life. I will take with me the knowledge and understanding that things happen in the Lord’s time, not mine. And, most of all, I take with me the faith to put all my trust and hope in the Lord, knowing that He will lead me where He pleases.

I thank all of you: the members of my family; Archbishop-Designate Wenski, Fr. Miguel, Fr. Michael, Fr. Joseph, Fr. Tom, Fr. Augustine and all of the priests who have been instrumental in my discernment; my brother seminarians who have walked this journey with me; my closest friends who have supported me over the years; and all of those who have offered financial assistance and prayers for your unceasing support over the last couple of years as I discerned the priesthood of Jesus Christ. As I begin this next portion of my journey, I also begin discerning the Permanent Diaconate. Seminary has illustrated to me that I am being called to serve the Church in a special way, by offering myself for the benefit of others. I ask that you all please continue to keep me in your prayers. Please be assured of my prayers for you.

Pax.

The spring semester’s Vocations Awareness Weekend was so much more profound than the fall semester’s VAW. This time around, the seminary capped the number of young men who could attend to at about 70. Each of the seven dioceses of the Province of Miami brought priests and young men discerning God’s will for the their lives. The quality of guys that attended the weekend was a lot better than I had previously experienced. The men who came down know that there is something tugging at their hearts; they know that the Lord is calling them to do something special with their lives. In an increasingly materialistic world, the courage these young men exhibited in simply coming on the weekend was incredible. The Lord was working in so many ways!!

After Vocations Awareness Weekend, activities at the seminary really quieted down. In fact, most of the time leading up to Easter Break was spent, for most of the seminarians, working on papers. The paper I was working on was for Contemporary Philosophy; it was a paper on Martin Heidegger and his critique of the Cartesian project [For all of you non-Philosophers out there, Descartes' philosophical argument culminated in the belief: "Cogito ergo sum."--"I think, therefore I am."] However, once I got into the paper, I realized that in order to talk about Descartes, I first had to do a brief overview of the entire history of philosophy. I did not have a clue as to what I was writing, but Fr. Vallee seemed to like it because he gave me an A–something I was totally not expecting.

When Easter Break finally arrived, I was looking forward to helping out at St. Charles. I absolutely love being around the people of my parish. It reminds me where I am from, who is important and what matters most in life. On Good Friday, I was given the opportunity (strongly encouraged) to cantor for the first time at my parish. Even though I had done it countless amounts of time at the seminary, I was extremely nervous because it was my first time doing it at home. But, everything turned out okay. Before I went up to the ambo to sing the Responsorial Psalm, I said a brief prayer:”Lord, I am doing this for you. Please do not make me look like a fool.”

The rest of Easter Break was spent in a prayerful mood as I contemplated the gift that the Lord had given us through the suffering, death and resurrection of His son. I was reminded that, throughout our lives, we do not necessarily understand where the Lord is leading us; however, we simply have to put our trust in Him and follow where He leads. Most of the time, when we truly try to follow the Lord, we are going down a certain path when the Lord steps in and takes your hand. At that point, sometimes, we are led down a very different path. All we can do is surrender ourselves to His will.

When we returned from Easter Break, it was time to begin preparations for final exams. I was so thankful to be given a take-home final [Themes of the Catechism of the Catholic Church], three open note exams [Thomas Aquinas in the 20th Century, Contemporary Philosophy, and Anthropology], and only one exam where I actually had to study [Spanish]. I guess we can say that the Lord was very merciful as always.

After finals, the seminary community gathered together to begin community days. In most colleges, after the students take their final exams, they are free to go home for the summer. However, in the seminary, we are a faith community first and foremost. That connection ties us together and makes our school community unique. Therefore, community days are designed to help us come together and experience the Lord firsthand through the relationships we have with one another as brothers in Christ.

Community days and the academic year came to a close on May 5th with the celebration of graduation. Sixteen seminarians graduated from St. John Vianney College Seminary this year, most of which are moving on to St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach. The Mass was celebrated by Archbishop John C. Favalora, which is usually not the case. Archbishop Favalora usually only presides over the graduation ceremony. However, because he is retiring as Archbishop of Miami in the next month, Favalora was asked to preside over the Mass. It was beautiful to share in that experience with him.

Well, there you have it, the final episode of the “Year in Review.” I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to all of you who have supported me in this journey over the last year. I have had some great experiences this year at the seminary, all of which will remain with me forever. Thanks for the prayers and the support. As always, stay tuned.

Pax.

PHOTO: (1) St. John Vianney College Seminary; (2) The Excerpt Mill; (3) St. John Vianney College Seminary–Dan Darmanin

The weekend after the alumni reunion, the seminary again opened its doors to a large group of people for our fall Vocations Awareness Weekend. The VAW that took place from November 13-15th was rather difficult. There were a lot of young men attending that were seriously considering what God was calling them to do with their lives. However, there were others who were here simply because their parents wanted them to come and who had no intention of looking at the priesthood as something God was calling them to do with their lives. However, the Lord worked through all of it. He used each and every one of the seminarians and priests who were here to show the attendees that God loves them and that He is seeking them to serve the Church and the people of God in some capacity. It was rather humbling to see, in the midst of the sometimes chaotic weekend, that the Lord was using me to reach someone I had never met. It goes to show you that the Lord works with what you have to offer, however limited that offering may be. All we can do is surrender it all to Him because we cannot necessarily see how the Lord is working in others.

After VAW, the rest of the fall semester was normal. By no means is seminary ever normal!! Seminarians are constantly embarking on journeys that travel into the deepest recesses of our personhood and it is rather exhausting in itself. However, to have a lot of extra things back to back, the semester was very exhausting. At the same time, however, all of us felt that we had accomplished a great feat; our exhaustion felt good. But, nonetheless, we all were looking forward to getting back to the regular routine of seminary life. Shortly after getting back into the regular routine, the seminarians had their final exams for the fall semester (all of which I passed–to go on the record) and departed for home to celebrate the Christmas holidays with family and friends.

Over the Christmas break, I was able to spend some amount of time at the feet of the Lord. I asked him to continue guiding me, strengthening me, and illuminating His will for my life. The fall semester was one that was filled with many struggles and the Christmas break showed me that the Lord had something rather interesting in store for me during the spring semester. He was going to be working in me and through me in ways that I could not imagine. When we returned from Christmas break, all of the seminarians breathed a sigh of relief when we noticed that the forthcoming semester was rather normal and tranquil.

“On January 15th, the seminary community went on a Day of Recollection to assist us in switching gears from the Christmas Break and to prepare us for the upcoming academic semester. The Day of Recollection, which only lasted about 20 hours or so, was eye opening for me. It allowed me to really reflect on priestly service and the baptismal call of all. The mini-retreat gave me the opportunity to reflect on how the Lord is working in my life and how he continues to call me to serve His church, His people.” [1]

Our semester continued with the presentation of the junior class’ Humanities Projects on January 28th. The purpose of the projects was to show a connection between the study of humanities (art, music, etc.) with that of religion and/or philosophy. To make the presentations go smoothly and not take five days to present, the juniors were broken up into five groups of three. Each of the groups were asked to choose two humanities categories and prepare a 15 minute presentation on how they are connected to theology or philosophy. Each of the projects were rather good; I was impressed by the work some of my fellow classmates completed. My group chose painting and literature and its correlation to theology; we focused on the Passion story–the Way to the Cross, the Crucifixion, and the Descent from the Cross.

The project had a very profound impact on me because I was able to see how, through painting and literature, the Lord can reach us on a level that is immense. I was reminded of God’s love for each of us. It reminded me that, no matter what we do with our lives, as long as we are praising the Lord and working to serve others, then we are living the life that God wants us to live. But it also reminded me of my sinfulness and how the Lord is constantly calling me to a conversion of heart and mind.

The most intriguing event of the second semester was the visit of a very special alumni for the seminary’s annual Fides et Ratio Conference. This year, the seminary was very blessed to have Ambassador Miguel H. Diaz, United States Ambassador to the Holy See, come and give the annual speech to the seminarians, faculty, and other invited guests. “The purpose of Ambassador Diaz’s speech was to highlight the growing relationship between the United States and the Vatican, especially in the areas where the two countries are working together for the common good of all peoples.”

Ambassador Diaz had a message for the seminarians in attendance:

“We need religious leaders who know the world, who know the issues of the world and who can wrestle them.” He went on to say that “we are not called to flee from the world. The Church is in the midst of the world. The people of faith are called to be there, to be in Haiti, to be wherever human dignity is trampled.” And finally, the ambassador told us that “we have to remember the past because we do not want the future to be that past.”

It was a reminder to all of us that the Lord needs us to stand up for our faith and the morals that He gave us. We need to live in a way that illustrates the love of the Lord. We need to defend the rights of others, putting ourselves last, risking everything we have been given to make the voice of God heard in the world.

After Fides et Ratio, things once again returned to our regular routine. In February, after returning from mid-semester break, we went on a three-day retreat. The retreat was very helpful and grace-filled for me. I was given the opportunity to spend a good amount of time in the presence of the Lord without the distractions of the external world. I was able to focus on my prayer and to truly grow in my relationship with the Lord and with our Blessed Mother. A couple of weeks after the retreat,the seminary community once again opened its doors to guests for our second Vocations Awareness Weekend of the year.

As you can see, the post is getting long again. Therefore, stay tuned for Episode III where I will reflect on the Spring Semester from VAW until the present time as we prepare for graduation and Summer Recess.

PHOTO: (1) St. John Vianney College Seminary; (2) St. John Vianney College Seminary; (3) College of St. Benedict–St. John’s University

On Thursday, September 17, 2009, the seminary community welcomed Christopher West, who came to share a bit about John Paul II‘s Theology of the Body. At the time of his visit, Mr. West had been receiving criticism of many people stating that his commentary on the JPII’s work had been misrepresented by the Theology of the Body Institute. However, the seminarians here can attest to the powerful ministry of Christopher West and the institute he founded. The day after his visit, Justin Cardinal Rigali (Archbishop of Philadelphia) and the Most Rev. Kevin Rhoades (then Bishop of Harrisburg) issued a joint statement in support of Christopher West. They wanted to “express strong support for the important work of the Theology of the Body Institute and, in particular, that of Christopher West.” They continued by saying: “We are convinced that John Paul II’s Theology of the Body is a treasure for the Church…yet its scholarly language needs to be ‘translated’ into more accessible categories…and we believe that Christopher West, the Institute’s popular lecturer and spokesman, has been give a particular charism to carry out this mission.”

On Thursday, September 24, 2009, the seminary was consecrated to Mary under the title of New Eve and Star of the Sea. Archbishop-Designate Thomas Wenski came down for the consecration celebration and to bless a new mosaic designed by Peter Dionne, seminarian for the Diocese of Orlando.

Monsignor Michael Carruthers, Rector/President of the seminary wrote this about the various titles of Mary that were chosen: “The title of Mary as the New Eve points to obedience.  What was lost by the disobedience of the first Adam and Eve at the tree in the garden is regained by the New Adam (Christ) and the New Eve at the tree of the Cross.” He continued: “The title of Mary as the Star of the Sea points to hope.  Often our journey of faith can become difficult.  The waves can rise and toss us about.  In the midst of that struggle, Mary stands as a star guiding us into the safe harbor of her Son.”

On Thursday, November 5, 2009, the seminary community began the 50th Anniversary weekend with an alumni gathering in the refectory. “A display of historic photos and artifacts, including the first seminary journal, was present.  The alumni were extremely excited to be back on campus, and the stories and memories were flying.  All eras of the past fifty years were represented.  For some of the alumni present, it was their first visit back since graduating.” The cocktail reception was the beginning of a very grace-filled weekend for all of the seminarians, especially for me.

The alumni reunion weekend continued with an Alumni Morning of Recollection. The alumni were invited to sit at the feet of the Lord, focusing on Him who calls us all together. The morning also included a panel sharing, where alumni and faculty members shared memories of the seminary. It was a very special opportunity for the seminarians because we were given the chance to listen to stories of the significance of this most holy place by priest alumni, married alumni, and faculty members. An intimate journey with the Lord is one that is filled with great hope, compassion, mercy, love, and healing.

Following the Morning of Recollection, the seminary community hosted the 50th Anniversary Solemn Vespers liturgy and the main banquet for the weekend. Over 300 people attended both events, illustrating the tremendous impact St. John Vianney College Seminary has had on the Catholic Church in Florida.

On Saturday, the most significant and grace-filled event of the reunion weekend took place with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.

[W]ith roughly three hundred people filling the main nave of the chapel, fifty concelebrating priests, and four concelebrating bishops, Archbishop John C. Favalora celebrated the 50th Anniversary Mass of St. John Vianney College Seminary.  The procession entered to the sound of trumpets and timpani as the Schola Cantorum sang “Go Up to the Altar of God.”The Archbishop gave the homily, reminding all present that a big part of the seminary experience can be found in the stories told during the weekend, and the characters remembered.  He spoke of the importance of a college seminary and reminded all present, particularly his own priests, to support the work of the seminary with their prayers and their monetary contribution.  He announced his intention to ask all the priests of the Archdiocese of Miami to make a donation this year to the Seminary Trust in honor of the Golden Jubilee.

At the end of the Mass, Msgr. Michael Carruthers came forward to announce the recipient of the Cure d’Ars Award.  The Award is the seminary’s highest honor and is given each year to an individual or group that has supported and uplifted the ministry of priestly formation.  This year’s recipients are the Vincentian Fathers (Congregation of the Mission) of the Eastern Province, who staffed the seminary from 1959 until 1975.  Fr. Charles Krieg, a former faculty member, came forward to receive the award from the Archbishop.  In speaking, Fr. Krieg share that when he looks out at the crowd he does not see bishops, monsignors, priests, husband, fathers, but his “boys.”  He shared how proud he is of all of them.  He said that the Vincentian who had been assigned to St. John’s always considered it among the most important and special times in their lives, and he thanked the seminary for the honor bestowed upon the Vincentian Fathers.

After the Mass a stand-up reception took place in the refectory.  No one was in a rush to move on, and people stayed to savor every moment together.  The Archbishop announced that he was giving the seminarians a day off in honor of the Jubilee – news that was met with thunderous applause.

The 50th Anniversary weekend came to a close on Sunday, November 8, 2009 with a cookout outside the college building. “The weekend was one filled with many graces.  Our hopes for the weekend were very high. For months the seminary community was praying for the weekend, praying that it would be more than simply a party, praying that it would truly be an encounter with Christ and a vehicle of hope and healing.  Through God’s grace, the weekend exceeded our hopes.”

As you can see, this review of the year is already long enough and it only covers half of the year. As the seminary community comes to the close of another year with the celebration of Community Days, I will have a bit more time throughout the next couple of days to reflect on the year, counting all of the graces that have been granted by the Lord. More to come.

Pax.

PHOTO: (1) St. John Vianney College Seminary; (2) St. John Vianney College Seminary

SOURCE: St. John Vianney College Seminary

Yesterday, with my Bishop appointed as the Archbishop of Miami, I have not even truly begun to think about the implications this has for my own Diocese of Orlando. We will be vacant beginning June 1, 2010 and we could be vacant for some time. With the diocese in the midst of a $150 million capital campaign project to fund the outcome of the first ever diocesan synod that was called by Bishop Wenski back in 2004-2005, my prayer is that the Holy Father will send us a new ordinary as soon as possible.

I have also not even begun to think of the implications the appointment of the Most Rev. Thomas G. Wenski as the new Metropolitan Archbishop of Miami has for the Province of Miami (Catholic Church of Florida). Archbishop-elect will have a good fifteen to sixteen years at the helm here in Florida. With his qualifications and his enduring work for the poor and less-fortunate, Wenski has now been given a platform to bring a message to the whole of the United States. Let me tell you, that message needs to be heard now more than ever.

Please keep Archbishop-Designate Wenski, Archbishop Favalora, the future Bishop of Orlando (whoever that may be), the people of the Archdiocese of Miami, and the people of the Diocese of Orlando (clergy, consecrated religious, and laity) in your prayers over the next few weeks.

Time for a little breather. Final exams are next week and I haven’t started studying for them yet and, well, academics reign supreme over the next few days. Do not expect to see a post until the beginning of May, folks.

Thank you for reading! Peace to all of you!

PHOTO: cartoonworks.net

As the seminarians journey throughout the end of this year, please continue to pray for us. We need it now more than ever. I hope everyone is having a blessed Easter thus far. Remember to keep your eyes focused on Christ. And, unless anything big happens with the Catholic Church in the US, do not expect to see a blog post until the end of April. Peace and blessings to all of you!

The seminarians from the Diocese of Orlando will be serving at the Chrism Mass on Wednesday, March 31. As usual, the Mass will be celebrated at the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe. Bishop Wenski has invited all of the faithful from the Diocese of Orlando to attend. It is always a beautiful experience to witness the priests renew their vows and their commitment to serving the people of God.

After the Chrism Mass, we will all be switching gears for the celebration of the Easter Triduum. Over the last several days, I have been reminded of the few remaining days of Lent; and, well, “[our] redemption is at hand.” (Luke 21:28) We only have a few days left to reexamine ourselves to see if we are truly living our lives in a way that is pleasing to the Lord. Thank goodness He is patient.

The seminarians all return to the seminary on April 5th, which leaves a mere four weeks in the academic year. Holy Week is the last occasion we have for a little bit of rest; every chance I get, I will be spending time simply relaxing and focusing on the immensity of the message of Easter.

UPDATE: I thought you all would like this.

I am dreaming tonight of a place I love
Even more than I usually do
And although I know it’s a long road back
I promise you

I’ll be home for Easter
You can count on me
Please have flow’rs and lots of food
And the Easter Bunny

Eastertide will find you
Where the love light gleams
I’ll be home for Easter
If only in my dreams

Eastertide will find me
Where the love light gleams
I’ll be home for Easter
If only in my dreams

If only in my dreams

Pax.

PHOTO SOURCE: Getty Images

During this morning’s Mass, Bishop Lynch spoke to the seminarians, reminding us to follow the example of St. Joseph. On this, the feast of the foster father of Jesus, Bishop Lynch told us to live by Joseph’s example, giving us three points to focus on. The first point was to have a fidelity to faith, to be willing to listen to the voice of the Lord and have faith that he will protect, guide, and strengthen us. Secondly, we should all have the courage to take risks–the bishop reminded us that Joseph had to take the risk to take Mary and Jesus into Egypt to protect them from Herod. Finally, we should all have humility to put others before ourselves, not simply seeking what is best for ourselves but, rather, for the good of all.

Please continue to pray for Bishop Lynch as he continues his recovery. Please also remember to pray for Bishop John Ricard (Pensacola-Tallahassee) who is recovering from a December stroke.

Happy Feast of St. Joseph to all of you!! May the words of Pius IX be a reminder to all of us of Joseph’s mission: “All for Jesus, all for Mary, all to imitate thee, O patriarch St. Joseph!”

PHOTO SOURCE: For His Friends: Thoughts and Reflections by Bishop Robert Lynch

On Friday evening, the guests arrived to the seminary. At about 11:00 p.m. we all gathered in the main chapel for a welcoming/blessing ceremony with a modified version of Night Prayer. Saturday was packed with all kinds of different activities. On Saturday morning, the guests watched a very…interesting movie created by the Dean of Students/Vice Rector of the seminary. Following the movie presentation, the guests listened to several seminarians describe the four pillars of formation as prescribed by the Program of Priestly Formation (PPF). The seminarians added a personal touch to the pillars to make them more real for the guests.

On Saturday evening, several seminarians were asked to lead small group sessions where the guests could ask any questions about seminary life, the process of discernment in our own lives, etc. During the small group sessions, I experienced the willingness of these young men to open their hearts. Compared to the last VAW in November, the conversation that took place in these small groups was much deeper and more geared towards discernment.

Following the small group sessions, the priests, seminarians, and guests participated in the Stations of the Cross. The guests were asked to carry the cross from one station to the next. It was a very powerful experience for all of us. Following the Stations of the Cross, we re-entered the chapel to find a statue of the corpse of Jesus on the altar. That always seems to take my breath away–it was very powerful.

On Sunday morning, the guests came together with the Vocations Director and seminarians from their diocese to talk about the weekend more in depth. During the Orlando meeting, the seminarians shared a bit of advice to the guests. I simply reminded the guests to be open to whatever the Lord is asking them to do with their lives. I also shared with them that, when I was discerning entering the seminary, I would sit in front of the Blessed Sacrament and simply listen to the Lord. The weekend came to a close with the celebration of the Eucharist in St. Raphael’s Chapel immediately after the meetings.

Over this past week, we have all heard about the news of priest sexual abuse scandals in the Church in Europe, most especially in Germany. Even amongst all of that negative news that is being directed towards the Church, we still have young men who are discerning giving their lives for the spreading of the Gospel. Now, more than ever, we need men–healthy men–who have a desire to love, serve, and inspire others. Now, more than ever, we need men who want to serve the church, who are tired of society telling us to turn away from the love of God. The men that came on the weekend, even as young as they may be, get it! They understand that there is more to life than what society portrays; there is more to life than material things; there is more to life than becoming rich, famous, and powerful. Ultimately, God calls all of us, men and women, to follow him and spread his Gospel message. No matter what we are called to in life, we must remember that Jesus Christ came down to this earth, dwelt among us, and died for the salvation of all.

I know that all of you have prayed that the Lord will send shepherds to guide His Church. Continue to pray for an increase in vocations to the Church because the Lord is answering them. There is hope!!!

Pax.

This morning, I would like to begin by thanking all of you who are loyal readers of this small effort on my part to promote vocations in the Catholic Church by sharing my own journey of discernment. I would also like to welcome those who may be visiting for the first time.

As many of you read on the Whispers of the Spirit blog on Thursday, over the last several months it has become increasingly difficult to keep up two blogs when you are pretty much working on them yourself. The only reasonable thing to do would be to stop posting blogs on one site and focus on the site where I post more articles. Therefore, Whispers of the Spirit will no longer be updated with new information, effective immediately. The work of promoting vocations will continue on this site.

There will be some changes to my discernment blog in the next few months. In fact, if you look at the top of your page now, you will already see something that has transferred from Whispers of the Spirit–“US Vocations Offices”. Information regarding all of the Vocations Offices from all of the Dioceses and Archdiocese in the United States are on that page. Check it out. More changes are on the way.

Thank you, again, for your continued prayers and support! A person’s journey in seminary is not the easiest thing in the world, as I am sure you all can tell from my posts here over the last couple of years. However, knowing that there are people praying for you nonstop is a reassuring feeling; it lets me know that the Lord is with me and will help me persevere in all the struggles that may come my way.

As one of the seminarians responsible for music throughout each week, I, along with the other “music guys,” have been tasked with getting the music ready for all of the liturgies. We have quite a few liturgies to plan for; here is a bit of a breakdown of the schedule for VAW.

Friday Night the seminarians will welcome the guests with a social in the Bishop Noonan Community Room. Following the arrival of the guests, we will all gather in the main chapel for an adjusted form of Night Prayer, with a formal welcoming and blessing ceremony.

Saturday is action packed with the guests being introduced to the “Pillars of Priestly Formation” with a video made by Fr. Alvarez. (That should be interesting to say the least.) To begin the day, we will all gather in the chapel for Morning Prayer. Later in the morning, after the video and seminarian panel, we will all gather in the chapel for Mass. The afternoon on Saturday is meant to be enjoyable; we usually set aside time for all of us to get some recreation, whether that be playing basketball, soccer, football…you get the point. Following the time for sports, we will gather in the chapel for Evening Prayer. After dinner, the guests will participate in group sessions with the seminarians, where they will be able to ask our point of view on formation. (They usually ask about the interview process, the academics, communal prayer, living in the dorms, and our vocations stories. It really is a great time that allows them to gain a human perspective on the experience of seminary.) Following the group sessions, we gather in the chapel for Stations of the Cross.

On Sunday, the guests and seminarians will gather in the Chapel of St. Raphael for Morning Prayer. Following the celebration of Lauds, the guests will have the opportunity to meet with the Vocations Director and seminarians from their Diocese. The weekend comes to a close with the celebration of the Eucharist.

It is going to be an excellent weekend with a lot of graces! For me, the young men who come to share the experiences of Vocations Awareness Weekend minister to me in more ways than I could ever minister to them. They allow me to see that the Lord is still calling people to serve His church despite all of the cultural influences that tell all of us to live life, do whatever we want. The church in Florida has a bright future ahead!!

Please pray for us and for all the guests.

Pax.QFTNS6CMRT8R

Photo 1 Source: St. John Vianney College Seminary

Photo 2 Source: Thomas Pringle

This afternoon at 5 p.m., the seminary community begins our annual silent retreat. So, from 5 o’clock this evening until Sunday afternoon, I will be free from the distractions of cell phones, computers, etc. Needless to say, I am really looking forward to this retreat; I am kind of wondering how the Lord is going to work. Please keep me and all the seminarians in your prayers, that the Lord will grant us all humility to receive and recognize the movements of the Spirit in our lives. As always, you all will remain in my prayers.

Pax.

Diocese of Orlando:

Archdiocese of Miami: 305-762-1137

Diocese of St. Petersburg: 727-345-3452

Diocese of Palm Beach: 561-775-9552

Diocese of Venice: 941-484-9543

Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee: 850-435-3552

Diocese of St. Augustine: 904-262-3200, ext. 101

***Note: If you are the bulletin editor at a parish in the Diocese of Orlando, please email me (tom@thomaspringle.com) for additional bulletin inserts promoting Vocations Awareness Weekend.***

To begin his first speech on U.S. soil, the ambassador spoke of his role in the United States government, which is to be a “bridge-builder of issues between the United States and the Vatican.” The ambassador noted two challenges that his office deals with: 1) global tensions that are the result of increasing pluralism, and 2) interests between the United States and the Vatican for the sake of the common good.

Ambassador Diaz mentioned that human identity is still a major issue as a result of the drastic changes in cultural dynamics in countries across the globe, which he attributed to “human migrations.” This struggle to define the human identity has made difference–whether those be based on culture, ethnicity, or gender–a threat to the world family. We have become increasingly fearful of the other before we have thought about becoming friends. However, we cannot allow this to continue because the “actualization of person” happens when we are in communion with others. Therefore, developing relationships with others is “not a choice” because we meet God in the other.

“Love offers no shortcut.” In our modern times, where we have a misunderstanding of human identity, we pick and choose who we want to love. This is where religious communities can make a major difference. Religious communities can, and do, come together–no matter what affiliation–to work for the benefit of all. These religious communities recognize that differences in culture can make a great impact on the world. Difference should not be a force of division in the world! Just the opposite is true; culture has been enriched by human diversity.

The “dignity of all persons is no easy task to accomplish”; it is a constant struggle that the Church and the United States have been trying to overcome for some time now. There are many ways that this can be accomplished. One of them is through the human imagination. “Failure to engage the human imagination” is not an option if we wish to foster commonality between cultures.

There is “serious evil in the world” that tries to inhibit the discovery of such commonalities. If we should be humble enough, we could eliminate the hatred that exists between cultures. There is a “great need today…to engage in conversation.” There is where the United States can make significant contributions, according to Ambassador Diaz.

“In the United States of America, a positive approach in relating faith and civil” contributions can work to advance the dialogue between various cultures and beyond religious affiliation. Faith is a positive agent of change in the world. Religion is not to be simply practiced in the privacy of one’s home. Religion and faith should not be left at home. Religion should be brought into the world. The ambassador went on to quote Benedict the XVI: “There is thus an urgent need to delineate a positive and open secularity which, grounded in the just autonomy of the temporal order and the spiritual order, can foster healthy cooperation and a spirit of shared responsibility.”

Persons of different faiths can and should work side-by-side in order to address the differences that exist between us. We are all “transient pilgrims” in this world. Do we spend our time tearing each other apart, or do we build bridges among the members of our human family? We should not take the easy road. “We must do unto others as we should have them do unto us.” This was the pulse of our Father’s love and still “beats in the hearts of people throughout the world.”

US Embassy Holy See

According to Diaz, the mission of the United States government is to engage the Holy See, using what Secretary of State Hillary Clinton calls “smart power”. Smart power utilizes a wide-range of diplomatic tools that enable us to spread our mission throughout the world. We use this type of diplomacy by focusing on 1) Global Health, 2) Religious Freedom, 3) Human Rights, and 4) Peace and Security.

In terms of promoting global health initiatives, the U.S. government and the Holy See are ready to fight world hunger. However, this goes hand-in-hand with easing the tension of climate change on the planet. During talks about the Copenhagen Accord, several international steps were taken to combat climate change. These include: 1) making a pledge to only raise the global temperatures by 2 degrees Celsius, 2) setting goals throughout the world that help reduce countries’ impacts on climate change, and 3) having transparency to let the world know how those goals are being met.

Countries must now work together to advance the Copenhagen Accord. Caring for persons and caring for the environment are interrelated!! “We need to be mindful of inter-generational solidarity so future generations can share” in the same benefits that we share in now. Universal solidarity is a benefit, as well as a responsibility.

In terms of religious freedom, the United States and the Vatican are working together to promote religious freedom throughout the world because it is a “human right and [a] source of stability for all countries.” The United States is seeking to identify and denounce those countries throughout the world that do not honor religious freedom. Ambassador Diaz quoted Secretary of State Clinton:

The freedom of religion “is the first liberty mentioned in our Bill of Rights, and it is a freedom guaranteed to all people in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights…Religious freedom provides a cornerstone for every healthy society. It empowers faith-based service. It fosters tolerance and respect among different communities. And it allows nations that uphold it to become more stable, secure and prosperous.”

In terms of the protection and advancement of human rights, Ambassador Diaz highlighted one specific area in which the Vatican and the United States are working together, human trafficking. The ambassador stated that there are 12.3 million victims  of human trafficking around the world; women make up 56 percent of those victims. The U.S. and the Holy See have come together in a special way by assisting in the creation of the “first ever inter-congregational effort” against human trafficking. The International Network of Religious Against Trafficking in Persons was formed in October 2009 and includes 30 women religious from 26 nations.

In regards to peace and security, the United States and the Vatican both hold that religion is being used as a “pretext of violence.” Throughout the world, religion is being used to justify the murder of innocent peoples. Ambassador Diaz reminded us that “no Holy War is a just war.” Religion cannot be used as a pretext of violence because the very foundation of all religions is love.

In concluding the 11th Annual Fides et Ratio conference, Ambassador Diaz remarked that the President of the United States (POTUS) and Benedict XVI have called upon all to embrace actions that “promote the common good for all.” The United States is “committed to bridging human differences.” We must “listen to the other; listen with the ear of the heart.” People across the world have a tremendous and deep love for the United States, but that also brings high expectations for the POTUS. However, the same goes for the Catholic Church. The Church is “one of the most important listening posts in the world” because they have international relations with many of the world’s countries. If we simply work together, despite our cultural or religious differences, we can effectively bring change to the world and advance peace.

At the end of the conference, the ambassador took questions from the audience. When asked what he could tell the seminarians for future reference, Diaz stated: “We need religious leaders who know the world, who know the issues of the world and who can wrestle them.” He went on to say that “we are not called to flee from the world. The Church is in the midst of the world. The people of faith are called to be there, to be in Haiti, to be wherever human dignity is trampled.” And finally, the ambassador told us that “we have to remember the past because we do not want the future to be that past.”

Article Sources: The Florida Catholic

Photo 1 Source: St. John Vianney College Seminary

Photo 2 Source: US Department of State